I stumbled across this Above the Law story today, about a woman whose complicated pregnancy required a reduction in work hours and then sent her to bed rest. Her firm reacted by telling her to put herself and her baby first, and then welcoming her back with open arms after she took a full maternity leave.

This shouldn’t be exceptional but in the law profession, it seems to be. I’ve worked in places where decency and compassion is the norm. I’ve also worked in places where issues in our personal lives, no matter how serious, were supposed to stay far outside of work (which is kind of impossible when you have long hours and limited PTO). And I’m not at those places anymore, and that’s for a reason.